APPLICATIONS OF THE MICROSCOPE. 



The following papers and communications dealt with 

 recent developments in the applications of the microscope, 

 particularly in industry. 



This portion of the Symposium was introduced by the 

 presentation of a paper on " The Great Work of Sorby," by 

 Sir Robert Hadfield, Bart., F.R.S. 



THE GREAT WORK OF SORBY. 



Bi/ the President of the Faraday Society 

 (Sir Robert Hadfield, Bart., D.Sc, D.Met., F.R.S.). 



Early Work ; Researches on Metals ; Researches on Rock Sections ; 

 Work on Meteorites ; Application of Sorby's Work to Metallurgy. 



In the First Sorby Lecture " On Some Structural Analogies between 

 Igneous Rocks and Metals," read before the Sheffield Society of 

 Engineers and Metallurgists in February, 1914, Professor W. G. 

 Fearnsides, M.A., F.G.S., rightly said that the audience had met to- 

 gether to honour the father of Modern Petrography, tliat citizen of 

 Sheffield, Henry Clifton Sorby. Professor Fearnsides has dealt with 

 the subject in such an excellent manner and given so much valuable 

 information in his lecture that I quote him very fully. 



Early Work. — Sorby 's earliest Research Work was in 1849 when he 

 prepareii the first rock slice ever made, and his first microscopical study 

 of igneous rocks was presented in his historic Paper read before the Geo- 

 logical Society of London on December 2nd, 1857. His attempts were 

 received almost with derision, some of the Members present saying 

 that he was drawing largely on their credulity. Later he was thoroughly 

 avenged by the Geologists of all Nations who assembled to celebrate 

 the Centenary of the Geological Society of London when Sorby on the 

 results which were formerly derided was acknowledged and acclaimed 

 by them to be the founder of modern Petrography, 



Researches on Metals. — Sorby began his work on Metals in 1863 and 

 lectured about it in Sheffield before the Literary and Philosophical 

 Society in February, 1864 ("On a New Method of Illustrating the 

 Structure of Various Kinds of ' Blister Steel ' by Nature Printing," 

 Sheffield Lit. & Phil. Soc, 1864). Unfortunately there is no trace of 

 this in the Proceedings. My own impression is that this Paper was 



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